City and NYCLU settle livery cab frisk lawsuit

Associated PressThe New York Civil Liberties Union said today the city has agreed to implement better training of police officers to prevent unfair treatment of non-white passengers.

NEW YORK -- A civil rights group says it has settled a lawsuit that had challenged the NYPD's practice of routinely halting livery cabs, questioning the passengers and occasionally frisking them for weapons.

The New York Civil Liberties Union said today that the city has agreed to implement better training of police officers to prevent unfair treatment of non-white passengers.

The NYCLU had claimed that the inspection program was being carried out in a way that subjected some law-abiding blacks and Hispanics to unwarranted searches and interrogations.

The taxi inspection program is intended to protect drivers.

A city lawyer said the frisks will continue as they have for two decades. The police department recently took steps to ensure the program operates properly -- including re-issuing the written policy and training new recruits.